1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to bag, pouch, and carton opening devices, and in particular to devices used for stripping and cutting food pouches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, and thanks largely to technology spawned by the "space age" many foods are now packaged in a foil pouch. The so-called "retort" package, a sealed foil pouch, and process were developed for space missions but are now used largely in the home. Such food pouches require no refrigeration, freezing, or preservatives to maintain freshness and have a shelf life of from two to five years or more. In preparing a meal from the pouch, the pouch is placed in boiling water for heating; retrived from the water and opened by cutting the bag. The primary problem associated with the food pouch is the messiness and loss of food in the pouch opening operation. Liquified foods or foods packaged in a liquid present a spilling problem when the pouch is cut. This is particularly a problem because of the high temperature of the food and liquid. Separate tools, such as tongs or forceps, are often used for retrieving the bag from the boiling water; other tools or objects are often used in attempting to strip the food and liquid from the area of the pouch to be cut; and yet another tool such as knife or scissors is used to cut the pouch. Exchanging tools during such operation permit the liquids to flow to areas of the pouch to be cut with resultant spill and loss of the food.
Culinary tongs, as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 1,846,619 issued to S. Speirs, have long been used in the art. Devices for stripping food pouches are known in the art and film slitters as typified by patents to K. Mito, U.S. Pat. No. 2,881,520 and to J. C. Whitman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,366 are also in the art. While useful for their designed purposes, none of the tools solve the problem of food spillage from food pouches during th pouch-opening procedure.